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 CZECH SOCIOLOGY

PROFESSOR J. SKOLA
Prague, Czechoslovakia

ABSTRACT
Czech society offersrich sociologicalmaterial. Need of social theorybecame
conscious in the last part of the nineteenthcentury. Czech philosophywas long
influencedby Germanthought,then by Hume, Comte, and Spencer,introducedby
Masaryk. He later impressedhis social theories upon the movement for Czech
independence. Translationsfromotherliteratures: Chalupny,Beneg, Foustka.

It is naturalthatthehistoryof CzechSociety,in whichall the

importantperiodsof the historyof Czech countrieshave been
reflected, offersrichmaterialforstudieson themannersin which
the nationalidea developedunderall thesedifferent conditions.
At the timewhenthe Czech nationbecame consciousof its
existence,and its literaturehad begunto emergefromthe mist
of romanticism towardcorrectscientific knowledge,the need of
forming a theoryabout the manyvariousespressions of domestic
life was felt. The characteristic sign of the secondhalf of the
nineteenth centuryis just thissearchfora theoreticalbasis.
Czechphilosophy was,fora longtime,influenced bytheGerman
philosophical system,becausetherewas domestictradition existing
frommoderntimeson whichit couldlean. But neithertheintel-
lectualism ofHegelnortheempiricism ofHerbartwas able to serve
as basis forthe understanding of the Czech spirit,the character-
isticsignofit is thateverytheoretical problemverysoonbecomes
a questionofpractice.
A wholesomeinfluenceon Czech philosophycame fromthe
WestwiththenamesHume,Comte,and Spencer,to whompublic
attentionwas drawnby the writingsof ProfessorMasaryk,the
presentpresidentof the CzechoslovakRepublic.
In orderto harmonizethe scientific knowledgeof the Czech
spirit,Masaryk treatedin his work,entitledConcrete Logic,the
classificationofsciencesand theirmutualrelations. Thisbookwas
76
 CZECH SOCIOLOGY 77

at thesametimethefirstCzechscientific work; it was

sociological
soon followedby special studiesof this science,amongwhich
TheSocial Problem, of mentionbecauseit provesthat
is deserving
Masaryk very soon turnedfromabstracttheoriesto concrete
cases in social life. In someotherworks,TheCzechProblem, Our
Crisis, John Huss, Charles Havli6ek, he explained the historical
and social meaningof Czech historyand establishedas an ideal
for the individualas well as for the whole of societyscientific
character,freedom ofthinking, and moralityin action. Masaryk
studiedthe domesticconditions of the Russiansas well as of the
Czechs and pronounced his opinion on the Russian problemin
his workRussia and Europe,translatedalso into English,which
was publishedjust at the timewhenRussia beganto attractthe
attentionof the wholeworld.
It is not necessaryto enlargeupon how Masaryk,duringthe
war, by his deep scientific work,raised the questionof Czech
independence to a problemof vital interestforall Europeand by
whatsuccessthisactivitywas attended. He unitedharmonically
in his person,theoryand deep social feelingwithan energetic
activityinpractice.
Underthedirector indirectinfluence of Masaryka numberof
translations of prominent sociologicalworkswereintroduced into
Czechliterature and literary papersbeganto givemuchattention
to socialproblems. The sameinfluence causedtheyounggenera-
tionofwritersduringthelast tenyearsof thenineteenth century
to takea largepartin thesocialmovement and to turnfrompurely
expressivemethodstowardthe study of the workingof social
forceson the fate of the individual.
AmongMasaryk'spupilswas EmanuelChalupnyr whogave to
Czech literatureits firstgenuinesystematicsociologicaltreatise,
entitledSociology, a workof fifteen volumes.
of
Anotherpupil Masaryk's and his well-known collaborator
in the achievement of Czech independence is Dr. EdwardBeneg
whostudied,besidesotherproblems, theideologyofCzechpolitical
partiesand in a workentitledPartiality,whichdiscussesfroma
criticalpointof view the different theoriesof the foundation of
parties,seekingthe generalprinciplesof theirdevelopment, their
78 THE AMERICAN JOURNALOF SOCIOLOGY

mutualrelationsand organization.He wrotealso on thissubject

a studypublishedin the December issue (igig) of the RevueInter-
nationaledeSociologie.
Amongspecialiststreatingspecial sociologicalproblemsand
deserving offoremostmentionis Professor B. Foustka,authorofa
workentitled The Weak Members of Human Society,by whichhe
gave a strongimpulsetowardthe care of childrenand aroused
interestin labor problems.
At thepresenttime,theinterest in sociological
studieshas come
muchto thefrontand thereis alreadya considerablenumberof
specialistsstudyingthe auxiliarydisciplinesof sociology,as, for
instance,anthropology, socialpathology,eugenics,etc.